


The Other Half

by pairatime



Category: Kings (TV 2009)
Genre: Dancing, M/M, Universe Alteration
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-10
Updated: 2015-08-09
Packaged: 2018-04-13 22:18:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4539477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pairatime/pseuds/pairatime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if David had looked at the other half of the Kingdom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Other Half

**Author's Note:**

> AU that will never happen and I just have a thing about two guys dancing in formal wear.

“Let me guess, you’ve never danced before?”

David half smiled looking down, he could feel his face getting red, “No, not even a little bit, this seemed like a good idea.”

“It’s your first dance, with the whole court watching you? Really?” Jack asked smirking as he pulled David closer.

“They’re watching…”David whispered hoarsely as he looked round at all the people as he tried to swallow. “That-“

“Good, then I’ll lead, make sure you keep up,” Jack said as he stepped forward, guiding David back with one hand and into a basic box step, “its easy just keep up.”


	2. Dropping in

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Commenting on health care was an after thought, defending a fellow soldier wasn’t.

*Bang Bang*

David looked up from the letters he was looking through and up at the door when he heard the knocking. He barely had time to rise before the door opened and Prince Jack swaggered in with a couple of green bottles in one hand. David felt his reflexes take over as he snapped to attention and saluted as quickly as he could and said, “Sir.” 

He remained at attention as the Prince’s eyes drifted around the barren apartment that had been found for him the day before. He felt the Prince’s gaze settle on him for a moment as he sought to remain motionless.

“Good training! Very disciplined, but didn’t we already deal with this? Besides, we’ve danced before the whole court. Relax Captain.”

David couldn’t fight the heat in his cheeks remembering his first dance, all the eyes on him. He lowered his arm and let out a breath as he watch the Prince turn to one of the few pieces of furniture in the apartment before lounging in the hard wooden kitchen chair as if it was an over stuffed club sofa.

“Sir,” David began as he felt the Princes eyes back on him, “How did you know where I’m staying?” he looked away from the Prince and to the letters on the table collecting them into a stack stopping when he felt resistant from one of them under the Princes finger.

He watched as the Prince slide the letter over to himself, “Who do you think found you this so fast? Thomasina is very good at her job. Now tell me why Gilboa’s darling of the moment is hiding in a rather empty apartment looking at letters alone on a day like this?”

David tracked the letter with his eyes as the Prince brought it closer to look at it before sliding it back across the table top. “Well I just, the city is so loud. I’m just not used to it,” not after the sounds of the frontlines he thought as he looked up at the Prince. “I don’t mean to offend a superior officer and my Prince but why are you here sir?” he said as he continued to make the letters in a nice neat stack.

“Your Prince watched the press conference earlier today. You did well,” he could barley hear the last part over the scratching of the chair as the Prince stood up suddenly. “Does this empty place even have glasses or shall we drink it straight from the bottle?”

David caught the green glass bottle filled with dark liquid the Prince slide toward him. The gold outlined label marking it as more then just a light drink, “I don’t normally drink this early, I might have some glasses but I’ll have to check,” he said turning away from the Prince and to the rest of the kitchen scanning the cabinets.

He stopped when he felt the Princes hand lightly on his shoulder, “Don’t bother, bottles are fine for a couple of soldiers,” the voice was almost in his ears as the hand slowly turned him so they were almost as close as when they danced, “as for it being early: half of Shiloh is drinking and the other half wants to be.” The Prince’s free hand found his own, slipping in the bottle. “And you have more right’s to then most of them,” a heat that he hadn’t even notices vanished when the Prince removed his hands and stepped back taking the other bottle from the table, “now let’s join the celebration.”

David watched as the Prince tilled back his head just a little to let the drink flow down as he brought his own bottle to his lips tasting the dark sweet liquid and feeling it go down warming him for a moment just wanting the Prince, “Celebration sir? Is the Court holding another one so soon?” he asked as he slipped passed the Prince and into the open air of the main room, before turning to see the Prince looking at him, almost staring.

“And you’re not joking are you?” David felt his face heat up before he could turn away and taking another drink, “you really are a Cocker Spaniel aren’t you?”

“What?” He said straightening up as he turned to look at the Prince before the Prince cut him off.

“What do you think the noise outside is?” David followed the Prince’s hand as it waved toward the closed window, before he closed it there had been constant noise and even now he could still here it in the back ground always there.

“The city,” David answered, looking the Prince eye to eye seeing the Princes lips curl into a smirk.

With our warning he felt the Princes hand in his own slightly pulling on him, “come with me.”

“Yes sir,” David let the Prince guide him as he focused on the hand in his own, it was every bit as rough and coarse as his own just like the night on the dance. He felt the cool breeze and had to blink at the light was they stepped outside and onto a patio overlooking the large street. And for a moment he couldn’t think the air in his lungs refused to leave as he looked over the crowd filling the streets, their yells were everywhere all bleared together so he couldn’t make out a single word but he didn’t need to he could feel the mood, the joy and happiness rolling off them, “wow.”

“Yeah, you’re going to be fun.” When he looked over and saw the grin on the Princes face he could stop the shudder that ran through him or the feeling he had when the Prince wrapped an arm over his shoulder and clicked their bottles together, “Cheers.”


	3. Brothers in Arms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The events of episode two with Jack helping David and Jessie, then some soldiers bonding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for Episode one and two. I hope you like this one, AU again, with Jack replacing Michelle again.

“And the court’s darling returns,” Jack said as he walked into the sunroom.

“Sir,” David said straightening his back and starting to raise his hand to his forehead when the Prince interrupted him.

“I wouldn’t do that, Thomasina doesn’t like it when she’s interrupted.” Jack said as he walked forward. “Your first dance before the whole court and your first formal dinner with both Gath and Gilboa. You really don’t like easy, do you spaniel?”

“Yes Sir, I’m here learning goblet order and all I can think about is my mother. She’s in Shiloh today, my brother…”

The Prince stopped looking David over and focused on looking him eye to eye. “I’ve dealt with them before for my men. I’ll take care of her,” Jack said as he straightened David’s tie, “Are you ready?”

“He’s ready enough,” the King said.

***

“Miss Shepherd, Ma’am.”

Jessie Shepherd looked up from the line to see eight soldiers in full and formal dress uniforms saluting her, “What?” she started before the Prince interrupted her.

“David is sorry he couldn’t be here, he’d rather be here then at dinner with the king. I have some experience with the red tape so if you’ll follow me we’ll get this done soon,” Jack said as he unclipped the rope extending an arm to Jessie.

“I’m glad to see his commander cares about his men but if you really want to help me, then help me talk David into coming home,” Jessie said as she looked at Jack.

“It may seem like he doesn’t belong but-” The Prince started before Jessie interrupted him. 

“No it seems he does and that’s what I’m scared of Major. He’s my son, the seventh son, he was born different. Mothers know these things. David has a destiny and men with those never end well, they either die old and unhappy or young and unfinished. I want to protect him from what wants to happen. So no, if you want to help, help make him come home,” Jessie said taking the rope and re-linking it.

“You two aren’t unalike. If you change your mind or need anything call me,” the Prince said as he handed her his card.

***

“Your Highness?” David said in surprise when he opened the door to see the Prince leaning against the wall looking out the window. Drinking.

When he heard David’s voice the Prince turned to the other man, “You’re using a hundred and fifty year old piano as a table, a TV table, did you know that?” the Prince said as he offered a bottle of something to David.

“Yes, I didn’t have much time this morning. I got it just before the signing started, thank you sir,” David said as he set his hat on the piano and take the bottle before he started unbuttoning his dress uniform.

“It’s nothing, I don’t like drinking alone,” the Prince said as he looked out the window again.

“No, for my mother, she thinks you’re my commanding officer,” David said folding his dress top onto the hanger.

“I am, as the crowned Prince I am vice commander of all Gilboan naval, air and land forces second only to my father, it makes the whole rank thing a bit tricky,” the Prince aid before draining his bottle and grabbing another from a bag at his feet. “But I wanted to do it right, earn the rank, the respect of my men.”

“You have it from your men, more then just your men sir,” David said after he took a drink.

“That’s good because _my men_ number seven. After that ambush and that foolish assault that’s all I have left. The rest…the rest…” the Prince stopped closing his eyes.

David just watched the Prince for a moment before draining his bottle setting it on his nightstand as he sat down on one said of the bed facing the prince, “Hand me another bottle and tell me about them.”

The Prince just turned to look at David, “What?”

“Tell me about them, starting with the other one that Gath had prisoner, how is he doing?” David said again pointing to the other side of the bed.


	4. Like an Older Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David talks to Jack about the night before and the photos.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this episode didn’t really have a David and Michelle scene to change and I had to deal with Jack’s actions so this one is different then the others but I still hope you like it. I also remember why I normal write for shows that are either already over or a few seasons ahead of where I’m writing from. I don’t know what’s coming next so my plans keep getting messed with. At some point I’m just going to go with it and make this fully AU.

“Thank you for last night, the guys both said they had fun.”

Jack looked away from the view out his window and toward David as the sound of the other man’s voice. “They did, did they? They got back to the front fine then?”

“Yes they did, thank you again,” David said as he walked across the room to join his Prince at the windows. “It was an interesting night.”

“Interesting? That is one way of putting it,” Jack said as he turned to lean against the window so he was facing David.

“Yes interesting. Just like this morning when I was shown the papers, with photos from last night,” David said as he remand looking out the window.

“These things happen, that would be the other side of Royalty. They want our fame to rub off on them or baring that they want to pull us down to their level,” Jack said as he stepped from the window over to the side table and poured himself a drink before pouring a second one, “Drink?”

“You’re a very complicated man Sir, one day we’re talking all night about life, and death,” David said as he turned to look at Jack, “then you take me and my friends out, setting me up, then the following afternoon your offering me a drink.”

“Set you up? You mean Claudia? That was nothing all I did way tell her who you were she did the rest, no need to thank me, was she fun?” Jack asked raising an eye brow and holding out the drink.

“I might be new to Shiloh but I’m not a saint or as naive as everyone seems to think I am your Highness, the photos.”

Jack paused for a moment lowering his hand and the drink, “Now why would you think that was me. You’re in the press all the time, they love you.”

“And that was why one of the reporters was willing to tell me who gave them the photo,” David said as he stepped forward meeting Jack eye to eye, “why? I thought we were becoming friends, the other night…”

“I’m the crowned Prince, Spaniel. I don’t have friends, but you might be one of the closest things to it I have which is why I did what I did,” Jack said before draining both glasses.

“I’m not new to being someone’s friend Sir, and what you did was not the act of a friend,” David replied as he continued looking at Jack.

“You understand so little, I was protecting you,” Jack shot back raising his voice.

“Protecting me, protect me from what? What did those photos protect me from? Nothing Sir,” David said matching Jack’s tone as he stepped closer.

“ From my mother,” Jack half yelled stepping forward, “that’s right, you’ve gotten on the Queens bad side, your getting for to much good press, good attention. That’s why you were uninvited, and that would have only been her first move. I stepped in, as long as she thinking I’m dealing with you she’ll wait and see,” Jack said his voice returning to a normal ton after the first words before pouring two more drinks, “take it,” he added handing a glass to David.

“What did I do, I don’t-“David began before Jack cut him off.

“It’s not you, it’s the public. They like you. At first it was fine but last night someone was willing to donate a hundred thousand to sit next to you at the show,” Jack explained.

“What? Why?” David started to say in suspires before Jack went on.

“That’s ten times the price for sitting next to the King. As for why, people want to be near fame, and right now that’s you, more then my father. She made her move so I had mine,” Jack ended as he sat down looking over at David.

“What do I do? How can I stop the attention?” David asked sitting down across from Jack.

“Distance, keep as low a profile at court as you can, don’t go to evens if there is a way not to, but not everything don’t make it look like your snubbing the court, that will be even more attention. Just be away from court if you can, something is going to be happening, you don’t want to be there when it does,” Jack said emptying another glass.

“What’s going to happen?” David asked sipping his glass.

“Court politics, it should be fine but there is always fallout, try not to get hit Captain. But now what I want to know is how you got the paper to tell you who gave them the photos and how you linked it to me, I’m normally better then that.”

“That,” David started before finishing his drink, “I called the paper, talked with a few people,” he said looking down at his empty glass, “none of whom would say anything,” he finished half smiling at Jack before looking back down at his glass.

Jack just grinned in reply.


	5. Brothers before Others

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David needs to talk to Jack after everything that’s happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d like to thank artemisphoenix without her I would have kept putting off watching Brotherhood and this would not have been written. And as always Jack and David, mostly David will not listen and just do their own thing, all my plans just go out the window when I’m writing these two so I really have no idea where this is going but I hope you like it.

“I’ve missed you,” David called down the center row as Jack started walking away.

“What?” Jack said stopping and half turning to face his blond companion.

“Talking with you, drinking with you, sitting with you, just being with you sir,” David said as he turned to fully face Jack and took a step forward and down the red carpet toward his Prince.

“We can’t, my mother still-” Jack started before David cut him off.

“Sir, I have stayed out of court life in every way I could. I do not even speak if there is a way to avoid it and if still the Queen thinks I do too much then I can not please her and I do not care to,” David said as he closed the distance to stand before Jack.

“No, sometimes she just can not be pleased,” Jack said sitting down in the pews, “but you should be more careful of saying that aloud.”

“I trust you not to tell her sir,” David said as he sat down across from Jack, “what was your first kill like? Do you still see his face when you close your eyes?”

“Yes… I was a fresh lieutenant, less than a month out of training,” Jack stopped for a moment closing his eyes, “it was a day like any other, not even my first battle,” Jack said opening his eyes again to look at David, “he ran past the main line with two others. I fired three times, hitting him twice in the chest before he fell just feet from me. The look on his face…” Jack finished trailing off.

“I didn’t see his face. He was facing you so I have that I guess,” David answered back looking at Jack.

“Killing is hard, it should be, but killing for your King is something that has to be done.”

“I didn’t kill for my King,” David said as he rose from his place before kneeling before Jack, “I killed for my Lord, my Prince.”

“I-I,” Jack started looking down at David, “why, why me before my father after what I have done,” Jack asked as he reached out a hand and just softly touched one of the light bruises on David’s face, bruises he had put there.

“You’re a good soldier, a good man. Yes, you have this darkness inside you, I’ve seen it, felt it. But I can take it, help you control it and I will Sir,” David said.

“Do you know what you’re offering?” Jack asked as he rose to stand before David, “What do you know of the darkness within me?”

“I’ve seen it, that night in the club, the way you protect others. Last night,” David said as he looked up at Jack, “it’s not a lust for death, but a distain for life, your own but never others. I won’t stop standing by your side.”

“And if you had to choose between my father and me?” Jack asked as he held out his right hand.

“I-I,” David started before stopping and dropping his gaze from Jack’s eyes to his hand, “I can not answer that without committing treason,” he said before kissing Jacks knuckles.


	6. A Brother’s Oath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack faces who he is and what Joseph means to him as David stands by his side

David was hanging up the last of his clothing from the Pilgrimage when he heard a knock at the door. He barely had time to turn when the door opened and Jack walked in to the apartment, stopping to look at the apartment.

“God, Captain don’t you ever clean this place?” Jack demanded as he looked at the pillow stuffing and other debris on the floor and everywhere else.

“Sir, sorry I was robbed just before I left with the King. I haven’t been able to clean yet.” David answered turning red in the check as he kicked some stuffing under the bed.

“Yes, well I’ll help when we get back, but first did you mean what you said?” Jack asked shifting his eyes to David studying him.

“That I was robbed? Yes they did-” David started looking back ay Jack before he was cut off.

“No, no! The church last week, did you mean what you said. What you did,” Jack asked again.

David stopped for a moment returning Jack gaze, “Every word, every action my Prince.”

“Then come with me,” Jack said as he walked from the room and down the hall.

David stopped only long enough to lock the door.

***

“Who was Joseph,” David asked after a few minutes of Jack just starting at the fresh grave.

“He-he,” Jack started before stopping, his words catching on his breath, “he-the man I loved.” He finished as last sinking to his knees.

“I-I’m sorry,” David whispered as he lowered himself next to Jack.

“And you are, aren’t you?” Jack asked as he wiped his eyes, “That’s why it had to be you,” Jack said looking David in the eyes for a moment before looking back at the grave.

“For what?” David asked unsure as he felt one of Jack’s hands grab one of his own.

“This,” Jack replied as he gripped David’s hand with his left as he placed his right over the center of Joseph’s grave stone before resting his forehead on it’s top, “I swear to God and Joseph before Joseph and David that I will be the best men, best person, best prince and king I can be. I will be honest to myself and I will not live in fear of others, of what I am. Above all else I will be me. The real me you made me Joseph. Your death will not be in vain,” Joseph completed as water, both rain and tears, streamed down his face.

David just gripped his hand tighter then hesitated for a moment before pulling Jack into his arms, holding his prince.

***

It was more then three hours latter when the pair returned to David’s apartment, both men were soaked from the rain. Neither had spoken since Jack made his pledge to Joseph’s grave

David closed the door to his apartment behind them then just stood there watching his Prince.

Jack was quiet for a few moments before he kicked the cut up pillow, “It’s dead, did they think we gave you the Royal Jewels?” Jack asked looking at David.

“I-I don’t know, they went through everything,” David said picking up a pillow, “I never even thought of hiding anything in my pillows.”

“Don’t, it’s over used, like flour,” Jack told the other man as he kicked the mattress, “grab that corner,” Jack ordered as he pointed to the far lower corner of the bed before grabbing the corner at his feet.

The two pushed the bed back in place, “you didn’t need to do this Sir,” David started as he pulled off the rest of the sheets but stopped when Jack cut him off.

“And what have I said about calling me that? And in private even, Spaniel.”

“Yes, Jack,” David said as he grabbed his broom and he began to sweep up the floor.

“You manage to make my name sound like Sir anyways, but we need to talk about other things,” Jack said as he started walking around straightening up odds and ends as he went.

“What is it?”

“I need a best man, you.”

“What, you’re getting married? But Joseph?” David asked in surprise.

“A future King needs a future Prince, she knows the truth and I will not act as other than what I am, part of that is being a Prince. Will you be my best man?”

“Yes I’d be honored. But why now?”

“Court politics, some thing you need to learn more about, and soon. My sister had a fling with one of her investors with the health care program of hers. This is to protect her and deal with my mother.”

“You’re Mother?”

“Yes it’s time her power at court was lessened; a new queen will do that”

“I would be honored but the Queen…”

“Leave her to me, but tonight I’m ordering some drinks and food and were going to get this place cleaned,” Jack said as he pulled out his cell phone.

“You don’t have to do that, you’re a Prince,” David said.

“I’m also a soldier, who do you think got the worst jobs my drill sergeant could find,” Jack added with a grin.


End file.
